


Chicks before Dicks

by Sapphyre402



Series: Diva Series [3]
Category: Glee
Genre: Author doesn't like Klaine, Constructive Criticism Welcome, Different end of season 3, F/F, M/M, Multi, No Bashing, Not Blaine or Klaine Friendly, Past Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel, Wordcount: 5.000-10.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:53:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23242831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphyre402/pseuds/Sapphyre402
Summary: Breaking up was the easy part.Now comes avoiding his ex, getting in the school of his dreams, surviving the last few months of high school and, just maybe, live a little.*Pretty Boys sequel
Relationships: Santana Lopez/Brittany S. Pierce
Series: Diva Series [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/910062
Comments: 30
Kudos: 105





	1. New Directions

Blaine had clearly come to the decision of leaving him alone after the very public and very spur-of-the-moment breakup. Kurt wouldn’t exactly mind if they ignored each other until graduation. Of course, it was a pipe dream, they still had to get through Nationals as a team (he was not even going to think about prom, right then). For some reason he had the sensation that Blaine was only affording him some days to ‘cool off’, ready to pounce on him at the first weakness. As if.  
  
As things stood right at that moment, he was fully confident in his choices, had a strong enough support basis to weather the social storm and was fabulously dressed (How did the rhyme go? He couldn’t recall, but the depressed part did not apply). If anyone had told Kurt two years ago that he would, at one point, dump his first boyfriend in front of all glee clubbers, only to be cheered on by the (co-)head cheerleader, her girlfriend, the football quarterback (he was on this side of oblivious just enough to get away with supporting him without fighting with Rachel) and Noah Puckerman, he would have laughed long and hard in their face. But here he was, impeccably clad in leather and walking side by side with the most popular people in school. Not bad for a post-breakup day.  
  
He was… sad, about some of the friendships that suffered in the last period. Maybe he would get to reconnect with the other glee members in these last months of school, but he also had to think about his future. NYADA seemed more attainable by the day, but now that he didn’t have to worry about Blaine he worried a lot more about his curriculum. He feared it was weak, and his talent alone wouldn’t assure him a spot in the Academy for The Most Talented.  
  
If there was a better moment to get out all his aces, he wouldn’t know it. He was ready to make a deal with the devil, much more literally that his pretty, atheist ass had ever thought possible.  
  
“Finally seeing the light of my eminence, Porcelain?” He just hoped he wouldn’t come to regret it.  
  
“…I-”  
  
“Of course you are, and of course you regret leaving my pyramid. That’s obvious! What is not, is how you’re gonna claim back your spot in it so close to Nationals and so far from the peak of physical perfection I brought you to two years ago.”  
  
“I-”  
  
“Don’t interrupt! You’re gonna need much work if you so easily forgot how things are in Sue’s special forces. Let’s start with a circuit of the school.” Kurt would have liked to think he wasn’t that out of practice, he’d gone to great lengths to maintain his painfully gained flexibility over the past year, but he was clearly rustier than he’d thought, seeing as he didn’t start to run the moment Coach Sylvester got the megaphone out from under her desk, and waited, instead, for his ears to be murdered by her “Mooove!”, before moving to follow her orders. A newbie mistake, really.  
  
He started running. In studded boots and a leather jacket. And that was the real reason a Cheerio always dressed the part, as once you were part of Sue Sylvester’s squad there was no such thing as ‘downtime’. The only consolation prize was that he didn’t get winded from his run, as he didn’t let himself get lazy when he wasn’t part of the cheerleading squad. Of course, that only meant Coach Sue’s next requests would be all the more grueling.  
  
He couldn’t have imagined.  
  
But, at the end of the school day, he reconvened with the devil duo proud to have re-conquered a spot on the pluri-award-winning team (on a trial basis only, but it was halfway to the goal). That meant more polyester than he could in good conscience approve of, but he would just have to deal with it for the rest of the school year (he frankly had to).  
  
  
And so a few days went by, as he reacclimatized to the rhythm of being in such a demanding extracurricular and avoided a good part of the glee club while not making it obvious.  
  
He was just fantasizing about a new outfit when a buzzing interrupted the monotony.  
  
Kurt automatically turned his phone to check what it was about. Keeping it face down on the desk during history was only a vague courtesy, really.  
  
**14:17** Hey Kurt, u alright? haven’t heard from you in a few days  
  
He stared at the text for a few minutes, knowing he could use the excuse of being in class to explain the delay. Then he unlocked the screen.  
  
**14:23** Yeah Chandler, I was just in a bit of a mess…  
  
**14:23** Wanna meet up for coffee and tell me all about it?  
  
And, why the hell not? He was newly single, young and unattached. Such behavior was the least expected of him.  
  
**14:24** Sure, let’s!  
  
They met up that afternoon, Kurt had just come out of a session with devil Sylvester, but trying to make plans for later in the week would just have felt like postponing needlessly.  
  
Chandler had to first reign in his megawatt smile to get the conversation started. Kurt waited patiently for the other to gather his wits as he sipped the coffee made exactly to his specifications. (Yes, Chandler knew his coffee order, he must have vaguely mentioned it in conversation and this boy he had only met once before remembered it. Was his current companion a little obsessed or were the standards he measured Blaine against so low?)  
  
“Sooo, still thinking of Whitney Houston for your big audition?”  
  
And so, a 0.5 seconds conversation with a boy he hadn’t seen face to face in days had just touched two-thirds of his problems without any input from him. It seemed destiny. Maybe karma? Whatever higher power was having a laugh at his expense, Chandler had just made him think first about Blaine and then about NYADA, a careless comment about Cheerleading competitions and it would be strike three.  
  
“Not really. Recent developments have made me understand that the Houston part of my life is definitely over. Which brings me back to square one, as I don’t think a ‘classic’ would fit either because, well, you’ve seen me.”  
  
“Oh, Kurt, I think you’re so versatile you could sing anything and they’d be fools not to accept you. But you’re right, the dusty graveyard look isn’t your style, I mean, you’re a revolution, Kurt! And you should own every part of it.” Which, delivered with the usual megawatt smile, made him feel so appreciated and confident even though Chandler had only heard him sing through the cell phone’s shitty speaker. And that is the reason he had to leave Blaine. The fact that a stranger could make him feel so empowered while his boyfriend ignored his needs was just sad. As was the fact that his self-confidence was so dependent on another’s view of him, actually. When exactly had that happened? He couldn’t recall. Which- bad.  
  
Still, venting to someone not in the thick of the latest mess was a great feeling. He had almost forgotten what it was like, having gotten so caught up in the vaguely incestuous Glee club drama, where everyone had a bone to pick with at least three other members at any time. Being suddenly free to lament his mediocre friendships without the person he spoke to having personal stakes in it felt like a breath of fresh air.  
  
That was all the reason he planned another outing with the blue-eyed boy. He was a bit of a fashion disaster, what with his beanies and clashing colors, but at least there were no bowties. Also, by the time they had long finished their coffees, he still hadn’t told Chandler about his break-up. If they met the following week… maybe he would.  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right now Chandler/Kurt could happen, but nothing is set in stone. If you have an opinion leave a comment, even if just pro/against, so I know what you think!  
> Find me on tumblr [Notevengonnaanswerthat](https://notevengonnaanswerthat.tumblr.com)


	2. Warbler Reminiscence

For a whole five days, everything was well. He steered clear of the Undesirables, trained like a mad man under Coach Sue and went through most of the songs in his library trying to find the perfect one for his audition.

Then he got jumped.

And he had more or less been expecting it, but that didn’t mean he enjoyed the production.

Entering Glee Club with a limp while Santana laughed at him already wasn’t his idea of the greatest day, but he couldn’t imagine, as he sat down groaning,  _ how bad _ it would get.

So bad that just a few minutes in the choir room made him long for the gym, even if Cheerio practice had ended with him trying too hard in a straddle jump and having to live with the embarrassing consequences.

He thought that would be his lowest point, but the actual worst part of his day started with Brad shuffling around music sheets. Then the lights went out and a stage light clearly brought over from the Auditorium shined on  _ Blaine singing.  _ Or, well, vocalizing right at that moment. He didn’t start to sing until the music had already picked momentum. At which point he extended a hand towards Kurt, the other pressed to his chest, and the ex-Warbler had the gall to croon:

_ I hear a million voices in my head _

_ Telling me the things I should have said _

And Kurt could tell  _ exactly  _ what was going to happen and he didn’t like it one bit.

_ I don't know why I let you go _

_ Oh, I learned the hard way _

_ Tell me it's not too late _

_ Now my arms are open wide _

_ They're hanging forever there _

_ Waiting forever for you _

Blaine even did that little side-step the Warblers were so fond of!

_ I won't give up on you this time _

_ 'Cause I ain't holding on, for nobody else _

_ It's gotta be you _

_ Maybe with time you'll see that _

_ I can give you all the things you missed _

_ Oh, no, no _

_ Now my arms are open wide _

_ And I ain't holding on, for nobody else _

_ It's gotta be you  _

The boy pointed straight at Kurt like anyone could have misunderstood who this embarrassment was meant for.

_ You don't have to answer right now _

_ Baby, go and take your time _

_ 'Cause I'll be here _

_ I don't want nobody else _

_ Nobody else but you _

_ Oh, it's gotta be you _

He ended the verse on his knees in front of Kurt, blinding smile and arms spread like he was just waiting for Kurt to jump straight into them.

Santana scoffed, “Ugh, desperation.”

And he could only cover his mouth with a few fingers and snort, because... 

“You didn’t ‘let me go’, I dumped you! Maybe go on urban dictionary and figure out the difference, Blaine, because not all the time in the world will make me rethink  _ that _ decision.”

He could have gone on, but at that point, Mr. Schuester entered the room trying to seemingly juggle with a few sheets music and a few Spanish tests and Kurt made the executive decision that leaving Blaine gaping on his knees was better than trying to drag on their private mess in front of his teacher.

Mr. Schue apparently agreed, because he started talking like finding teenage boys panting on the ground was just par for the course (which, in a show choir- well.), explaining that some of the girls had their own personal project for the week and he wanted to see everyone else put on the table something personal when-

In stormed Puck, dressed like a goodwill punk, scratching on an electric guitar so hard it was a wonder it hadn’t broken  _ before  _ he slammed it on the floor in front of everyone.

It had been a sudden and almost scaring experience, made all the more surreal by the fact that in all the commotion Blaine hadn’t managed to properly climb on a chair and was now hanging onto one seemingly for dear life with an expression that had rapidly morphed from shocked to almost fearful, as he was effectively the one closest to the ball of rage that Noah was expressing through a terrifying rendition of School’s Out.

The only positive outcome of the whole mess was that everyone found themselves so unsettled by Puck’s performance that Blaine’s hopeless serenade didn’t even become part of the weekly round of gossip surrounding New Directions, buried as it was by all… the rest. In fact, it seemed almost trivial after Puck suddenly going incommunicado for several days and Brittany and Santana being seen making out with black leather outfits in the choir room, the Auditorium, the janitor’s closet, Ms. Pillsbury’s office, and under the bleachers… All in the span of two days.

The girls then explained to Kurt that the first day it had been performance day, and then they had just wanted to finish marking the territory… according to Brittany. According to Santana Josh Miller (Jr, not the owner of the burrito stand in the mall, though for what reason Brit had felt the need to specify Kurt didn’t want to know) had bet against Lucy (the freshman redhead who tried for the Cheerios with a full tumbling routine and an uncanny fascination for Santana) that _ no way  _ would Brittana manage to do it under the bleachers with Coach around.

The moral of the story was that the three girls split 50$ and Miller should shut his cakehole (Santana’s words).

All this was great. Because it distracted him from the fact that the most important performance of his life was coming up in less than 36 hours and Rachel Berry had been trying to ambush him for the past 72 with very  _ significant looks _ , which were her main means of communication since she had started saving her voice for the audition.

Then, deflecting her with sudden turns in the middle of the corridor and very-loud and all-encompassing cheerleading chatter with his teammates wasn’t enough.

She waylaid him at his locker and started  _ talking _ .

He raised a hand,

“Don’t tell me Liza’s-”

“She’s  _ fine _ , I’m worried about you! I’ve been rehearsing for Don’t Rain on my Parade since I was two and I haven’t heard anything about  _ your  _ song!”

“Yeah, Rachel, I think that’s because you haven’t talked to me since it was confirmed that I was back on the Cheerios.”

“I’ve just said that I think dividing your attention at such a crucial point of our path to NYADA isn’t the way to go. But I understand that after your and Blaine’s spat you needed something to distract yourself even though this audition should have been enough but the point I’m trying to make is that you were my friend first and we’re going to New York together and it’s less than 24 hours until the most important moment of our teenage years and I can’t believe you haven’t ranted to me about the Phantom of the Opera even once!” Kurt let Rachel regain her breath, then grabbed her by the shoulders, looked her straight in the eye and decided to ignore all the wrong things she said to concentrate on the worst,

“I’m not singing the Music of the Night.” He waited patiently as she seemed to have a mini-freak-out, guided her through a few breathing exercises, wrapped an arm around his most-longlasting frenemy’s shoulders and smirked, just a bit, as he led her toward the cafeteria for a slightly honeyed tea. 

“NYADA’s not gonna know what hit them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me this long, the time flew away from me ^^'  
> Hope everyone is staying safe and looking after themselves!  
> The next chapters are coming along, but I'm rewatching the last episodes of s3 as I go and I still haven't decided what to do about Puck...  
> We'll see.  
> Let me know if you enjoyed it and what you think about Blaine's song ;)  
> Find me on tumblr [Notevengonnaanswerthat](https://notevengonnaanswerthat.tumblr.com)


	3. Don't Cry on My Parade

He was ready. He  _ was _ ready. He  _ had _ to be. He had rehearsed,  _ ad nauseam _ , ergo just enough to be confident by now and the lights were coming on anyway −

Merciful Gaga,  _ he wasn’t ready _ ! 

Oh, how he wished he could recapture that moment of perfect self-assuredness he had experienced barely 24 hours previously when Rachel had approached him with the outdated notion that he would be singing Music of the Night… Because fast-forward a day and he just felt like throwing up. He was extraordinarily grateful to his fellow NYADA finalist for having joined him behind the black curtains to tell him that…  _ Carmen Tibideaux herself  _ was going across the country, hand-picking students for her inaugural class as dean of Vocal Performance and Song Interpretation at her Alma Mater. But simultaneously, he could have murdered her for the same.

Then, he didn’t have the time to be panicking because Madame Tibideaux was there, and he couldn’t even fully enjoy the sight of Mr. Schue holding her bag with a bemused look because he was feeling too sick to his stomach. But Tibideaux called his name.

He presented his choice in an almost choked voice. Rachel had gone around and was settling herself next to their teacher with a look that clearly showcased how she would be eating her hands right at that moment if not for the chance to choke on them right before her performance.

Then the music started, and he could only sing. And it all went without a hitch.

The velcro separated with a tug, Brittany, Tina, and Santana sang chorus beautifully, his renewed cheerleading training gave his movements more fluidity, dynamism, and energy, his legs were more flexible and his jumps higher and he danced across the stage like he was born to it…

It was like the closest thing to a trip he would ever experience. He felt heated, far away but deeply conscious of his skin, and he was left panting, with a tingling throat and almost no memory of his actions during the performance. Remained the only surety that he had fucking  _ slayed it _ . 

When Carmen Tibideaux (in person!) congratulated him on his bold choice and expressed with no qualms how  _ impressed  _ she was and Hugh Jackman would be… He bowed, thanked her, and then mentally thanked all the stylists of the last Paris Fashion Week that he hadn’t fainted right in front of her.

The applause from Rachel, Mr. Schue, and Finn, who had snuck in sometime before the end, was also greatly appreciated. 

Once again behind the curtains, he honest to Gaga squealed with the girls - with Madame Tibideaux far enough that he wouldn’t put at risk his not-yet settled reputation at the school of his dreams.

Then he and Rachel exchanged places and it was her turn to shine.

Except… she choked.

And he was there, stuck  _ in golden pants _ , next to his step-brother and their Show Choir Director as she broke down crying after bombing the most important audition of their teenage years.

And he would have  _ loved  _ to spend the rest of his month commiserating with her, but the very same day he discovered that the reason for which Puck had cut school for a few days in the middle the most traumatizing (?) week of Kurt’s young life was that he was flunking European Geography.

_ European Geography.  _ And he  _ hadn’t been called! _

Oh no, “the guys” thought they could solve the problem of four years of inconsistency and disregard for the subject in an afternoon session in the choir room with one (1) geography book and two (2) maps.

He could have laughed if the idea of Noah dropping out of high school with only one month of his senior year left to go for one Chanel-be-damned exam didn’t rather make him want to scream.

He stormed in, groaned in frustration at the sight and dragged Noah to his Navigator by his shirt.

As they say, desperate times call for desperate measures. Which was exactly what he told Noah as he removed his leg hair with a wax strip.

As it happened, his father returned home just as Puck howled in pain, gripping the cushions of the couch where he had settled in just his t-shirt and underwear, as Kurt sat on the coffee table and rolled up the used strip to throw away later.

Burt stopped in the doorway, surveyed the scene and emphatically sighed,

“Well.” Before turning towards the kitchen and choosing to ignore whatever his son and his crazy friends were up to  _ that  _ time.

Kurt went back to his self-appointed task. 

It was the work of thirty minutes to wax the inner part of Puck’s lower leg and apply a soothing cream for the cry baby, then he got his geography notes and a marker and started writing the most important-to-know info in bullet points, intersected by the other boy’s attempts to be useful and Kurt’s suave responses, like

“No, Noah, I’m not going to write that stupid song on your leg! This is strictly for the things you do  _ not  _ remember!”

Sooner rather than later his dad abandoned the safety of the kitchen to ask them about dinner, and that was how Kurt, Burt, and Puck, who was still in his underwear, ended up eating warmed-up leftovers on the couch, watching a rerun of Deadliest Catch as Kurt paid lip service to Rachel’s bombed audition and Finn’s endeavors in trying to comfort her. 

In the morning, all Glee guys gathered outside the history classroom, some more anxious than others, as they waited for Puck to pass, or fail, his exam.  __

The whole thing ended up in a sweaty group hug that blocked the hallway for a good ten minutes, with Puck in the middle of the pile loudly declaring that his shin hitched and it was awful. A hand managed to sneak around and hit him on the back of the head, but no one could tell who had done it.

It was only that evening, finally home again, that he felt like a weight had been taken off his shoulders. Not everything was going perfectly for everyone (coughRachelBerrycough), but he felt like his life could, maybe, possibly, be on the right track. 

He felt exhausted but also satisfied, knowing he had killed it at his Audition _and_ helped a friend graduate. Sat at the dinner table with his dad, Carol, and Finn, he allowed himself to celebrate his splendid performance, Madame Tibideaux’s words of praise, and the possibility of being accepted in his dream school getting ever closer. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here's the third chapter!  
> Hope you enjoyed my solution for Puck's problem, I had fun thinking it up xD  
> Let me know if you liked this chapter or not! ^^  
> Find me on tumblr [Notevengonnaanswerthat](https://notevengonnaanswerthat.tumblr.com)  
> Hope you're all staying safe,  
> Sapph


	4. Prom feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the patience, everyone. June and July were crazy months ^^’  
> But this past weekend I've finished writing the story🎉  
> Life permitting, next chapter will be up on Wednesday, and the last chapter the Wednesday after (I realize my posting schedule has been all over the place. Sorry xD)

The accomplished feeling had, sadly, not lasted long at all. Nothing better than Sue Sylvester’s training regime to bring one’s spirits down, and cause a lot of aches in places that shouldn’t ache. The only thing he could think about as he parked his navigator in his house’s driveway was to get out of the sweaty Cheerio uniform and  _ eat _ .

As he risked starving to death because he dedicated a few minutes to an abridged after-shower skin-care routine before getting something to eat, he reflected that it was still worth it to clean up properly in his bathroom rather than the one at school. Male cheerleaders had to use the sports teams’ facilities, and Kurt had seen what went on after practices and games, and  _ ewww _ .

At peace with his choice, he looked through the fridge in his bathrobe and slippers, only to be confronted with an even harder dilemma: he was  _ terribly _ tempted to order some takeaway. Maybe from that Chinese place…  _ Gaga _ , he could feel his mouth watering just thinking about it. 

His hand was reaching for the cordless when he heard his dad’s car pull in right outside. He sighed and opened the freezer to look for the already-seasoned chicken to throw in the instant pot. He could not be bothered doing anything more, but his dad’s health was more important than his laziness. 

They had already caught each other up on their days and were when on their way to polishing off the last of the chicken before Burt cleared his throat,

“So. How are you doing?” Kurt stopped making a dent in his plate (cheerleading was  _ hard _ work!), to raise an eyebrow at his parent. The time they had to spend alone had been lacking recently, what with Carol and Finn around, so this must be a prime opportunity to have a little chat.

“Blaine sang me a song. In Glee. I don’t think I told you.” Burt choked on air.

“What?! Wait, no, I don’t know why I’m surprised, you and your friends have always worked that way.” Kurt snorted,

“It was awkward, but I’ve moved on. He will too.”

“Good to know, buddy.”

“Then, of course, there’s prom, the letter from NYADA and not one, but two Nationals. Frankly, I’m thinking I’m handling everything well, but I’ll be glad when it’ll be over.” 

“Oh, that I get. I’m proud of you, Kurt. You’ve always been mature and responsible. I’m sure everything will go great.”

Kurt ducked his head as warm feelings coursed through his chest. Yeah, he liked their little chats.

…

But he had honestly not thought they would have another one quite so soon.

Usually, more than a few days went by between one and the next, it was understandable that he’d be surprised when interrupted as he made a mess of his er, reorganized a section of his wardrobe with the explicit goal of making a particular top easier to find. 

“Soo, there’s gonna be a skirt around here soon?”

“Dad.” He dropped his hands and fixed him with a disappointed look, “First, it was a kilt, second, I don’t repeat outfits.” He messed around with the clothes on his bed and brought up a black vest. “This year’s theme is going to be Creative Black Tie. For  _ me _ , at least. Someone will go dressed as a caveman, or a dinosaur, and I’ll pay no attention to it.”

“That’s great, buddy,” Burt passed a hand on his scalp, ignoring the crazy like he’d learned to do when his son had joined Glee club, “But maybe what I’m really trying to ask is if it’s you’re gonna be ok during prom.”

Kurt paused a moment, then left everything down and went to hug his dad.

“Don’t worry about me, going stag to a party has never killed anyone. I’ll sing and dance with the other Gleeks, because Figgins has refused to pay a band for the second year running, and hope I  _ do not _ get elected prom queen for the second time in a row!” He stepped back from his dad’s warm embrace and went back to his task.

“Frankly, it’s a bit of a relief as well. I won’t get half as stressed if I’m not trying to coordinate two outfits or spend enough time with my date, the other couples,  _ and _ my friends. I may just be getting the hang of being single.” He said flippantly as restarted sorting his clothes. Thinking that in just a few months he would be in a completely different situation was crazy. He was already working out which clothes he could sell or donate by the end of the summer. He had tried to push himself to focus on the  _ now _ , but in a part of his mind, he was already living in New York.

Burt hummed, not convinced by the nonchalant attitude but willing to play along. Kurt smiled at him.

And then it was time.

He submitted to having photos taken with them, but categorically refused to share a car with Finn and Rachel. Kurt took his navigator and was on his way. He met up with a few Glee members by the door who had just gotten there themselves, and they entered together.

Kurt managed to stop from gaping at the sight only by reminding himself how unflattering that would be, and his clothes fit his newly trim figure (thanks cheerleading) too damn well for him to ruin the ensemble. He fixed an aplomb look on his face and went near the punch bowl to mingle after telling his fellow Gleeks that they would catch up later. 

Most of his friends  _ were _ in Glee, but Arianne was both a Cheerio and one of the few people taking AP English with him that actually followed the lesson. That was enough to start a conversation and both were relieved to not be under one of those dinosaur masks that Brittany had conned some of the other Cheerios into wearing. Arianne also happened to tell him that the family of snakes someone from the AV club had snuck in and proceeded to lose all traces of a few weeks back shouldn’t be a problem anymore. They laughed, he danced a little as he listened to the other Glee guys and girls sing, then Principal Figgins climbed up the stage and the moment he feared most arrived. He joined all the nominees in front of the band, ready to crown this year’s prom royalty - hoping he wouldn’t end up Queen for the second time in two years.

As Figgins read Rachel’s name, after a completely unnecessary pause that sent his heart to his throat, shock and relief battled inside him. He chose discretion as the better part of valor and restricted himself to smile lightly as he crowned Rachel. McKinley was a  _ strange _ place.

Mostly, he was just happy he would never have to go through such a nerve-wracking, embarrassment-waiting-to-happen thing again. 

High School was almost over and Kurt Hummel was ready for the world.

It was that energy that he brought along as he sang with his Glee friends, feeling freer than he had in a while. Even duetting with Mercedes didn’t feel as awkward as it could have been. Regardless of the strangeness of their relationship lately, he and Mercedes had always connected best through singing and fashion.

He was happy they hadn’t lost that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should have more time for my unposted wips now - a HP/Glee xover (probably Harry/Kurt), a Kurtbastian, and a Kurt/OC. What would you like to see first? Let me know in a review ^^ (or just comment if you liked the chapter xD)


	5. Nationals

Kurt couldn’t believe his ears. He had done and would do a lot of things for this woman and for New Directions, but he had to draw the line somewhere! Being subjected to this with both Mercedes and Santana in the room was only added mockery.

“Not every gay man is interested in being a drag queen and I’m not here to be the token queer. That is not the reason you accepted me back in the Cheerios and it will not be how I’ll finish my Glee career!”

“Bold of you to assume you know why I choose to do anything.”

“Clearly, my angel’s voice and continued flexibility are what bought my admittance. My sparkling scene presence is what will help us stand out, not my legs in a miniskirt - regardless of how hot that would look.” 

Had he gone too far? Maybe he shouldn’t have brought it up... if Coach Sue hadn’t already thought about him in drag during Cheerleading Nationals, it was a dangerous thought to put in her head. But on this, at least, he had to stay firm. 

His conviction wavered a little when Coach Sue advanced threateningly towards him, with a murderous look in her eyes, and got close enough to snarl in his face,

“You better  _ hope  _ your sparklingly queer presence wins me my trophy,  _ and  _ your pathetic little choir competition, or I won’t be responsible for my actions. Coach Roz Washington will not get  _ my  _ team, not as long as I live and breathe!” And after one of the most terrifying and heart-stopping performances from Sue Sylvester that he had ever seen, she marched away to go make some freshmen cry, probably. 

From Kurt’s other side, Santana whistled, impressed.

“Way to make her spitting mad, ladyface, and just in time for our next practice too. I’d never want to be you, but right now even less so.” 

Kurt recovered enough to roll his eyes,

“You’re not helping, Satan.”

“As if I was trying to.” And with that Santana flounced off, wiggling her fingers in a wave and leaving with the parting shot, “I’ll be sure to point her at you at practice.”

Kurt could only groan while Mercedes patted him awkwardly on the back,

“Well, good luck?” He looked at her, hoping to convey his thoughts without voicing them in an office that was probably bugged by the same she-devil he had basically sold his soul to.

“Well, you did bring this upon yourself, asking Coach Sylvester to get back on the Cheerios.”

“Yes, twist that knife a little more, why don’t you?”

  
  


Frankly, the only salvageable thing from the whole week had been being able to light up the Auditorium stage with his sheet metal work. At least, if he had to bear Coach Sue’s impossible demands not only when training with the Cheerios but when rehearsing with New Directions as well, he could work off his frustrations by making sparks fly. 

It still didn’t leave them with anything close to a winning number, but he had had fun. 

Then he did his part, sneaking into Vocal Adrenaline’s rehearsal, properly this time, without getting noticed  _ or  _ picking up a cute gay boy, to get a recording of their competition. 

  
  


From that moment on, everything seemed to move at double the speed. Suddenly, he had barely finished Cheerio practice and returned home that he had to pack his bag (and help Finn with his), sleep barely six hours, say goodbye to his dad and Carol, and get comfortable in an old, weird-smelling bus that would take them to Chicago, and to Glee Nationals.

It was a dream come true. 

Even the day before the show, when everyone was screaming at each other and doing their best to practice in a hotel miles away from home, he felt collected. He relished in the sense of purpose and managed not to lose his head. He knew  _ that  _ was exactly what he wanted to do with the rest of his life: perform.

  
  


When he finally returned home as a National Champion, his dad was waiting for him with a hug and a letter.  _ The _ letter. 

Rachel called him before he could reach her number in his contacts list. She screamed for a good twenty seconds before calming down enough to say she wanted to open them together in the Auditorium… and he had to interrupt her because he was  _ not _ waiting until the following morning. Finn was receiving his letter from Carol in the other room, so Rachel would come over right at that moment, they would sit down on his living room couch in thirty minutes and not one more- 

Rachel hung up at that and he guessed, correctly it turned out, that she was running out of her house.

  
  
  


Being rejected was strange. It hit him and he felt like something in him shattered.

As the knowledge settled over him, he felt... dead. He could put on a brave face and smile for his friends and family, but he felt as if the whole floor had been pulled from under his feet. 

He had really thought he had a chance. He had thought he had a better chance than  _ Rachel _ , with the way she bombed her audition and he received compliments from Madame Tibideaux… But all for naught. 

He was nothing more than another Lima loser.

He couldn’t even wallow properly, he had less than a day to put himself back together and prepare for another National Competition. 

That was what spurred him on. His last act as a McKinley senior before graduation would be winning Coach Sue another trophy if it was the last thing he did.

Which he had meant figuratively, but may just turn out to be the case. He had never exercised as hard as under the five-day, intensive training regime  _ from hell  _ that Coach Sue instated after returning victorious from Glee Nationals and before leaving for Cheer Nationals, apparently over the moon at having her cheer team be completely hers once more. 

The Cheerios definitely felt the difference that not having Coach Roz mitigating Sue’s more outlandish plans brought. 

Kurt had continued exchanging casual texts with Chandler in the last few weeks, but after the other boy’s congratulations for the win at Nationals, Kurt had been so busy (not depressed over his rejection letter, of course not) he could barely talk with the people he saw every day. He spared him a thought and sent a quick text on the way to Cheer Nationals, but his head wasn’t in it. How could it be?

He and all the Cheerios seemed to have entered a pre-competition daze, but luckily they had Coach Sue and her entirely personal approach to pre-competition pep-talks to defuse the tension… 

As they waited for their turn, the woman rounded up everyone in a tight group, looked at all the girls and boys on her team, some of whom were trembling, and screamed,

“Win!”

It was motivational.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who is reading this <3 Only one chapter left!  
> Then I'll concentrate on either a Glee/HP xover (probably Harry/Kurt), a Kurtbastian, or a Kurt/OC. They're my current Glee wips, let me know in the comments which one you would like to see first and if you liked this chapter ^^ (and Kurt's reaction to the refusal letter - I don't really do angst so this was new, and brief for that reason ^^' )


	6. Close to a Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter and I'm finally posting some of the scenes that sparked this fic and were written before everything else... Let see if you can guess which ones ^^

It felt like an eternity passed as the Cheerios waited on the sidelines. 

When the McKinley team’s name was finally called, everyone started to flood the stage, ready to do their absolute best to follow their coach’s only direction and destroy the competition. 

But as Kurt moved to do the same, Coach Sue gripped his arm, got uncomfortably close to his face and hissed,

“It’s only poetic justice that the son of the man who stripped me of my congress win will get me another National trophy.” The look she shot him conveyed her meaning in an extremely explicit manner − if Kurt did not do everything in his power to get her that trophy, no one would ever find his body. 

With that… motivational threat hanging over his head, he ran after his teammates and put on the best and probably most physically challenging performance  _ of his life _ .

Which was a sentiment probably every McKinley cheerleader shared as they ended up in a sweaty group hug that had Kurt, at least, uncomfortably squished against a lot of breasts and with some long hair too close to his mouth.

They were still barely coming down from the adrenaline high of performing in front of hundreds of people when the judges announced their scores. In seconds, it all devolved in excited, high-pitched screams as the Cheerios won the National Championship for the seventh time in eight years. 

The celebratory mood lasted for hours, even as everyone settled on the bus ready to bring them back to Lima. 

Kurt was laughing with Brittany and Santana when Coach Sue called him over.

“Porcelain! I did not honestly believe you could make it, meet my standards, and win me another trophy, but you did! You beat the odds and that is something I value in my soldiers, so, I will grant you that little favor we talked about.”

“Really? That would be wonderful, coach!” Then he removed his head from the clouds, “But… It’s too late, I’ve already received a refusal letter.”

“What?! One of my Cheerios, the top of the food chain, not getting into whatever school?! It will simply not do! Driver, tuuurn! We’re going to New York’s upmost gay school! NOW!” 

Kurt was left speechless while the bus driver took a turn without question and sped towards New York. Then his jaw closed enough to actually produce sounds.

“But- What- I mean… Madame Tibideaux-“

“That woman dares refuse a letter of recommendation from me? Sue Sylvester? Let’s see how she ignores me when I deliver on her doorstep all the might of my skinny cheerleader army!”

“Her doorstep?!” Kurt’s voice got so high it would have affected dogs. As they were on the road, it only brought over Santana and Brittany who had been keeping an eye on the situation from the back of the bus.

“Are we practicing this season’s mating call, Kurtie?”

“No, Britt, just-“

“What, ladyface? You think only hobbit with a v can hound your ballet school’s recruiter? Well, que se vaya a la mierda, she cheated and it’s only right you get a second chance too. Plus, are you really about to refuse an all-paid trip to your dream city? What is  _ wrong _ with you?”

“…You’re right.”

“Claro que tengo razón, maricón idiota!”

“Hey!” Santana only had to raise an eyebrow to quiet him. He could concede this point. Most of all when he still had to completely come to terms with the fact that he was storming Madame Tibideaux’s house with the cheerleading squad he had just helped win a National Trophy, for the second time.

They arrived in front of Madame Tibideaux’s private residence (Kurt refused to wonder about Sue’s sources) and the driver parked right in front of the main doors. Coach Sue didn’t waste a moment, descending from the bus like an avenging angel with a belly. 

Madame Tibideaux herself answered after the umpteenth ring of the bell, but she could barely open her mouth before Coach Sue started laying into her.

“I have a bus full of the top-tiers predators of the animal kingdom known as High School and I’m not scared to use them. We are coming off winning my seventh National Championship trophy in the harshest of sports, cheerleading, and one of my best athletes couldn’t celebrate properly because of a letter the school you represent sent. You will tell me right now what your problem with Kurt Hummel is and I  _ may _ spare your life.” 

Madame Tibideaux went from looking shocked to affronted to plain tired, sighing,

“The people of your school… stubborn doesn’t cover it. Mr. Hummel undoubtedly has talent, an impressive range and even good stage presence. But his behavior… Changing school in the middle of his junior year, leaving the new school by the end of the same year. Troubles with the Class President election, giving up cheerleading then picking it back up… Some of these choices don’t make him look like a good addition to NYADA. The board feels he’s not reliable enough.” The woman finished in a matter-of-fact way.

Sue only looked at her for a few seconds before speaking.

“Porcelain, you will leave me alone with Madame Tibideaux for a minute.” The lack of any insulting nickname for the other woman made Kurt’s blood freeze in his veins.

“Coach Sue-“

“Don’t worry your little gay head, I won’t do anything that’d stress the baby.”

Coach Sue exited that house twenty minutes later with a handwritten letter from Madame Tibideaux apologizing for the mix-up, further stating that he could consider himself accepted and she would personally deal with the school to make sure nobody would look for problems where there were none.

Kurt looked at her like at a holy icon, like a Prada bag or something, and breathed,

“Coach… how did you do it?”

Sue handed him the letter,

“You just needed someone in the industry to stick up for you.”

Kurt could have cried. In fact, he was pretty sure he  _ had _ cried, but Brittany, who he had chosen as the safest bet to blubber on, didn’t say a thing. Their coach nodded at him while Brittany coed and rubbed circles on his back,

“And that was for my trophy, Porcelain Hummel.”

At that point he couldn’t help it anymore and threw himself between the claws of the beast, hugging Sue until she awkwardly patted him on the back and sent him on his way.

Compared to that, the few tears he shed during the Graduation Ceremony a week later were nothing.

His dream felt closer than it had ever been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End.  
> This is the first "long" fic I started posting and finished... let me know what you thought about it <3  
> I'm not marking this series complete, because season 4 may inspire something, but right now I've got three wips I'm fiddling with - a Kurt/OC, a Harry Potter/Glee xover and a Kurtbastian, so comment down below what you would like to see first ^^


End file.
